Behind the Book with Meg Hennessy

I’m a lover of history, would have to be to write stories that involve so much research. Everywhere we travel, we look for historical markers, historical sights, and off the road museums. When I visit these type of places, without fail, I hear the voices and see the characters.

Some I write about, others I don’t.

In our travels, we decided to take the River Road tour to see the old Louisiana Plantation homes. The Laura Plantation really stood out in my mind. It was a Creole home, during the time the Americans took over. I was amazed when I learned the stark differences between the Creoles and the Americans. I bought a couple of books from the gift shop, which I do way too often, and started to read up on the Laura Plantation. Soon I was ordering books from LSU. I was amazed to learn these beautiful women of mixed bloodlines used the plaçage system of interracial marriage to protect and expand their wealth under American rule. As with all of my heroines, Aurèlie Fentonot, stepped onto my page, committed and ready to go.

The hero, Jordan Kincaid, materialized after discussions with my father about the waters along the gulf coast, where he grew up and had sailed all his life. The hero had to be considered white, or American, for the plaçage story, but I needed Jordan doing something more interesting than planting. My father told me old stories about smugglers and the Pearl River, which sent my interest toward characters like Jean Lafitte. Jordan was more than willing to don the mask of a pirate and sail the seas for me, and my story took form.

I love characters that are cooperative and willing to try new things. As a writer, I can tell you, not all of them are malleable. In my first book, Shadows of a Southern Moon, my heroine, Elizabeth Dubay, could not be coaxed to do anything she didn’t agree to, where as the hero, Brandt Michaels, was wonderful. Sound crazy? Not to a writer. In Dark Secrets, Deep Bayous, I was lucky, both characters were fun and great to work with. I hope you enjoy their story and meeting them as much as I did.

Sit back, relax, fall back into time and discover The Secrets of the Bayou.